Spangenstück -a synopsis

[Claudius]

Greetings all;

I've been caring around for some time a semi-understanding of spangenstück medals but I was hoping someone or multiple someone’s could define and opine on spangenstück medals. Starting with the basic; What is spangenstück, but moving to the more interesting; Why did they use spangenstück? How many medals had a spangenstück version available. Why did they use them instead of the original issue medal?

Was it because;

1) They lost the government issue?

2) They were keeping it safe at home and only wanted to put a period-copy on their medal bar?

3) Recipients thought the spangenstück looked nicer than the government copy.

4) None of the above, or

5) All of the above.

If there is a specific, or multiple reason, does anyone know of great examples of a recipient consciously using a spangenstück and giving their reason. Period correspondence, literature or advertising for spangenstück.

Thank you in advance.

[Komtur]

I can imagine, that all these reasons are possible - but here is another one:

[Chris Boonzaier]

I think 5) would cover it.

I could think of many good reasons to keep the "good stuff" safe at home.

Beginning with but not limited to ... avoiding loss, theft, damage, wear and tear would be one. Especially if it was one of those awards that had to be returned after the death of the wearer.

best

Chris

[Wild Card]

Claudius,

You have brought up a topic that I have long pondered which I think is best answered, in part, by Komtur’s response.

If you think about it, people often had so many decorations that it precluded all of them being worn on a single bar at one time*. Aside from decorations from other German states, there were those from foreign countries which, depending on one’s service, could amount to quite a lot; and more likely than not, the occasion would arise where any of them should be worn. So what does one do?

1. Dismantle your bar and remount it with the appropriate decorations.

2. Have a spare bar, or bars, on hand with the appropriate “other” decorations and spangenstück on those spare bars

for the ones that are on your regular bar. I think that this is the main reason.

3. Have several “clip on” ribbon bars made up and move the decorations from bar to bar as needed. Unfortunately,

except for the old style trapezoids, from my observations this type of bar seems to have been pretty much confined

to Bavaria.

4. This is clever. George Seymour had a bar made up of two parts held together in the middle by two hinges. The left half

had the decorations which would essentially be worn on any occasion, while the right half had foreign and other state

awards. Possibly, there was more than one right side section.

*Thinking about this leads me to ask a question. Has anyone ever seen evidence of an Imperial German officer wearing more

than one row of decorations?

Thank you for bringing this subject up Claudius and best wishes,

Wild Card

Edited January 3, 2011 by Wild Card